


how strong it can be

by QuietLittleVoices



Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pride!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 22:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14840627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietLittleVoices/pseuds/QuietLittleVoices
Summary: The First Annual King Falls Pride Festival, sponsored by the Bait and Tackle and King Falls AM.





	how strong it can be

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Higher Love by James Vincent McMorrow.
> 
> It's Pride Month! My local parade isn't until late August but I have the privilege of being in it so I can wait. 
> 
> Comments & kudos appreciated :)

Naturally, it was Ron’s idea.

“I’ve been thinking, lately,” Ron said, in lieu of a greeting once Sammy picks the line he was waiting on. “There’s never been a Pride in King Falls.”

“Hey, Ron,” Ben replied. “I think you’re right on that one; what’re you thinking there?” 

“Well, since the Bait and Tackle has been doing better these last few months, I was just thinking that it was about time we changed that. What do you boys think?”

Sammy felt his phone buzz against his leg and took it out to peak at the screen while Ben voiced his enthusiasm. He couldn’t help but laugh at what he saw, and Ben turned to him. “Sammy?”

“I didn’t realize Jack was listening, but he just texted his support,” Sammy replied, turning his phone so that Ben could just see the text notification from Jack that just said ‘YES’ in all caps with a few exclamation marks. He leaned in a little too close to the mic. “Go to sleep, babe,” he said, and felt himself freeze as he realized what he said. 

But then Ben interrupted his train of thought with a sugary, “Aww, you guys are so sweet,” and Sammy realizes that if there’s anywhere it’s okay to call Jack pet names, it’s in front of Ben.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” he muttered, reaching over to shove at Ben’s shoulder, pretending to be annoyed as he puts his phone away.

“Not to break up this little scene,” Ron interjected, and Sammy had almost forgotten that he was on the line, “but does that mean the station will back up this little endeavour?”

“Yes, absolutely!” Ben answered quickly.

“Well, we’ll petition Merv to put  _ actual _ support behind it,” Sammy corrected, “but the Sammy and Ben Show absolutely will.”

 

Ben e-mailed back and forth with Merv about the specifics, but Merv does agree to financially support Ron’s Pride event, and one night when Sammy and Ben got into the studio they found a box in their office. Taped to the top was a typed-up note that just says  _ Hand them out _ on it, so they quickly tore it open to find stacks of stickers. All of them were designed with the stations logo in simple black lines over a rainbow background.

“I’m gonna tweet this!” Ben said excitedly, already pulling out his phone to take a picture. Sammy also took a picture, but he only sent it to two people - Jack and Ron, who he knew didn’t have a twitter and would want to see these as well.

Ron didn’t reply, and Sammy didn’t expect him to, because Ron slept most nights unless he had something he wanted to tell them, but Jack replied right away with enthusiasm.

_ Steal one for my laptop _ , was Jack’s second text, and it wasn’t in Sammy’s nature to deny him anything so he grabbed one off the top and slipped it into his jacket pocket.

 

Finally, the day of the Pride event arrived. It had ended up being more of a festival than a parade, partially due to the physical layout of King Falls not lending itself to parades and partially because not everyone was enthused about the idea.

Enough people where, though, and the space where the Bass Tournament used to be held was almost as busy as it had been for that event. Emily had set up a tent representing the library and offered face painting.

“I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to Pride,” Jack said quietly, leaning in close to Sammy so that only he could hear him.

“Me neither,” Sammy replied, smiling over at him and, emboldened by the celebratory atmosphere, reaching over to grab Jack’s hand.

Ben saw them from where he had been loitering around Emily’s tent and ran over, so that they could see the little rainbow painted on his face and his multi-coloured outfit. “Hey! Are you having fun?”

Sammy laughed. “We just got here; you’re gonna have to slow down.”

“Emily agree to hand out the stickers for us, and Ron’s over there,” Ben pointed, “getting stuff ready for the cookout, but I’m sure he wants to say hi.”

They decided to talk to Ron first, because this was mostly his doing, but found that a few people wanted to stop them to talk. Part of it was wanting to meet Jack, who still hadn’t been seen too often out and about in town, and another part was wanting to make sure Sammy knew that he had the town behind him. Mary, Tim, and their kids were there; Troy and Loretta; even Cynthia and her boys had shown up.

Sammy didn’t drop Jack’s hand once. Even when the food was prepared and they went to Emily’s tent to sit and eat out of the setting sun - it was a little awkward to eat one-handed, but the luxury was not lost on either of them. Sammy was pretty sure that the luxury of being able to see Jack, real and physical in front of him, would never be lost on him, but he was learning to reach for more than just the minimum. 

There was still a respectable amount of people on the lakeshore when the sun was almost done setting and Ron announced that he had a fireworks display set up, and ushered people a few dozen feet away from the actual edge of Lake Hatchenaw. 

He set off the store-bought fireworks one by one, each eliciting clapping from the onlookers. Sammy turned to watch Jack as Ron announced the finale and, feeling warm and happy and safe in a way he hadn’t in maybe his whole life, he leaned over and kissed him. It was chaste and over in a second, and he had to swallow around the lump in his throat knowing that other people had seen it, but it was worth it for the smile Jack gave him.

Once the last of the fireworks had been set off and the crowd finally left and went home, Sammy, Jack, and Ben helped Emily take down her tent and tables in the darkness. Sammy had to drop Jack’s hand for the first time in the evening to help, but it was okay because he knew Jack would always be right there. If nothing else, Sammy would make sure Jack was always right there.


End file.
